Amine alcohols, oxidative cleavage

While secondary alcohols are now relatively easy to prepare in enantiomerically-pure form, secondary amines have been more challenging. Larry Overman of UC Irvine reports (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125 12412, 2003) the catalytic rearrangement of primary allylic alcohols such as 4 to the corresponding protected vinyl amine 5 with excellent . Hydrolysis of the amine 5 gives the GABA aminotransaminase inhibitor 6. Unnatural amino acids can be prepared by oxidative cleavage of the protected vinyl amines. 

Oxidative cleavage of olefins, terminal alkynes, or aromatic rings 9-11 Oxidation of aromatic side chains 9-21 Oxidation of amines 9-22 Oxidation of primary alcohols or ethers... 

Novel nor-seco baccatin 99 was synthesized in 92% yield through oxidative cleavage of the A ring of 14-OH-DAB (75) with periodic acid via the hydroxy ketone intermediate 100 (Scheme 19). Protection of the 7-hydroxyl of 99 as TES ether followed by reduction of the aldehyde with sodium borohydride yielded nor-seco baccatin alcohol 101 in 80% yield. Nor-seco 13-amino-baccatins 102 and 103 were synthesized from 101 and 99a via the Mitsunobu reaction and reductive amination, respectively, in high yields (Scheme 20). 

The Cr-PILC catalyzed benzylic and allylic oxidations also provide a facile approach to the oxidative deprotection of allyl and benzyl ethers and amines. Treatment of allyl or benzyl ethers with one equivalent of tert-butyl hydroperoxide in the presence of Cr-PILC at room temperature resulted in the oxidative cleavage of the allyl- or benzyl-oxygen bond to give the alcohol but when two equivalents of tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) were used, the alcohol was oxidized further to the aldehyde or ketone (Eqn. 21.21).47 Oxidation of allyl amines resulted in the cleavage of the allyl-nitrogen bond to give the des-allyl amine.47 Benzyl amines, however, were oxidized to the benzamides (Eqn. 21.22).45... 

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